Line by Line 7/29/20

#WritingCommunity,

You are invited to #LineByLineTime, A Mini Critique Hour hosted by @graestonewriter.

In the movie, Gore Vidal’s Lincoln, the president “runs the lines” of The Gettysburg Address with his aides, saying, “I have a short short short speech, which I will try out on the chickens, as the farmer said.”

(Marvelous, powerful movie that has haunted me all these years.)

Each week #LineByLineTime writers share lines from their WIPs. (Try it out on the chickens, as the farmer said.)

During the hour, there will be a focus question, a chance to share, and a wrap-up question.

…

July 29, 2020: Main Character Mental/Emotional Description

July 29, 9:00 PM Eastern, the #WritingCommunity will tackle the inner workings of a character. 

This week, your description doesn’t have to be a line from a work, but perhaps the essence of your character. This may be more for us as writer than for the reader, a character sketch if you will.

I am using Betsy Byars Good-bye, Chicken Little for simple examples of our Line-By-Line exercises. Byars wrote MG books for years, won prestigious awards, and knew her stuff.

These few words give us great insight into Jimmy Little’s mother as she first hears of her brother’s accident.

His mother got up slowly, heavily. She valued her family. No matter how old or wild or crazy or troublesome—she prized them.

These lines give a vivid snapshot of Mrs. Little, and tells much about how she is going to react to her brother falling through the ice to his death.

I hope you will join us Wednesday. Feel free to make helpful suggestions about other lines the group might explore in the future.

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